Jonathan Eig has spent seven years traveling the country to record stories of Martin Luther King Jr. At the beginning of the lecture, Eig reminded the audience who King was to the world. He then posed the question, “Does anyone know about Mike?” This simple question led to Eig’s seven-year research project on King.
Elon University marked its 39th annual celebration of Martin Luther King Jr. Day in McCrary Theatre, filled with students and guests eager to honor the civil rights hero.
Eig — author of “King: A Life” — delivered a lecture that shed light on King’s complexities and struggles, including often overlooked elements of his story. Drawing from personal interviews with those who knew King, Eig told anecdotes about King, like when he told his friends that he needed some time to think before joining the fight for freedom or how he still properly addressed and respected those who caused harm to his family and reputation…